Per Profressor Ferdig's suggestion, I decided to check out what the university's library had to offer me. Searching through the articles, I found many of the journal articles to mirror much of what I have already discovered. Having to dig a bit deeper, I narrowed my search to try to find some, if any, research that has been done on podcasting and education. That was a dead end road. I guess it's probably too early to have any significant research to corroborate the use of podcasts in the classroom. Deciding to return to my first search to try to shift through the beginners guide to podcasts, I suddenly stumbled across it.
Richardson, W., et. al., The Read/Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation of Technology. Principal (Reston, Va.) v. 86 no. 3 (January/February 2007) p. 12-17
Since I found this as I was remotely connected to the library, I cannot figure out a way to actually post a link to the article. Here's the abstract so you can decide if you want to go the library and check it out:
"Part of a special section on tech-savvy principals. Growing numbers of educators are using the online tools of the Read/Write Web--including blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social bookmarking--to connect with one another. The Read/Write Web is revolutionizing the curriculum, redefining literacy, and changing the role of teachers to educational connectors."
I really felt that this article helped me connect the topic of podcasting to greater change in educational technology. Called the Read/Write Web in the article, the new trends in online communication (podcasting, wikis, social bookmarking, and blogs) truly have the capacity to change the face of education. I have two questions. First, what role does podcasting play in the Read/Write Web? Second, what is my role as an educator in this whole revolution?
Podcasts allow administrators, teachers, and students to create, distribute, and share audio content online with parents, other teachers, other schools, and the world. Thus, podcasts allow these entities to easily connect with each other in a way that previously much more difficult. I think that podcasts have the capacity to greatly enhance the curriculum and make learning more meaningful as the learner is able to connect and learn from a greater variety of sources.
While they are not as ubiquitous as webpages, podcasts have the capacity to alter what our education system looks like. In order to keep up with the changing technologies, I think that it's important for educators to become familiar and utilize this technology for both their and their students' benefit. Progressive as it may seem, podcasts opens many doors of opportunities for educators and students to connect with each other and the world around them.
What's my role in all this? Well, I feel that it's my duty as an educator to expose my students to a variety of opporunities regarding educational technologies. Placing my own apprehensions aside, I think that I should allow my students the chance to create what other fifth grade classes around the country are creating: podcasts. With what time I have with my students, I feel that it's important to teach them to use a variety of technologies besides podcasts, including blogs, search engines, and social networking sites. I have a responsibility to connect my students with as much knowledge and experience as our modern world has to offer.
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2 comments:
It is funny that you found this article, because I had to read it for a seperate course I took through UF. The article was great because it really opened my eyes to the difference between read and write with the web.
What ways are you planning to have your students create podcasts? Where do you plan to post them? How often are you planning to do this? I am curious because I too want to use them in my classroom, but I am not sure I know where I want to start and am curious what you have already planned out.
That is exactly what I need to do next! Everything has been a little crazy: 3 new students in 1 week! I don't know where they are all coming from! As soon as things settle down and I have time to think over spring break, I hope to answer all those questions as well. I'll let you know!
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